James Schumacher
Jim Schumacher passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home on February 1, 2025, at the age of 89. Visitation will be on Thursday, February 13, 2025, from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel with a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 3:30 pm and Prayer Service at 3:45 pm. Visitation will continue on Friday from 10:00 am until 11:00 am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye – North Entrance. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye on Friday, February 14, 2025, at 11:00 am and will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysleepyeye. The clergy will be Fr. Sam Perez. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Sleepy Eye. Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.
James Frederick Schumacher was born on May 14, 1935, to Carl and Loretta (Helget) Schumacher on the family farm in rural Sleepy Eye. He was the second youngest of six siblings, and attended school at the Leavenworth Township Country School. When he finished 8th grade, he then helped work on the family farm. At age 18, he started his own corn shelling business, employing many local farmers and farmers-to-be. He very much enjoyed dancing, and found his true partner in Bonnie Schmitz of Springfield, MN and they were married on May 30, 1962, at St. Raphael’s in Springfield.
Jim and Bonnie shared 10 children, a thriving 2nd generation farm, and a Pioneer Seed Corn business. He spent endless hours with his kids doing farm work, walking beans, taking them out in the boat to waterski, and watching their many sporting events and concerts. He shared this all with the grandkids as they arrived, and he passed on his never-ending sweet tooth for all things pie and candy.
Jim loved and owned everything John Deere, from tractors to bicycles. He collected antique tractors – John Deere, of course – participating in local parades, tractor pulls, and collector group events, along with being a proud member of the Two-Cylinder Club and the Prairieland Flywheelers Club. He was a man of strong faith and took the opportunity to share it whenever he could. He was a lifelong member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church (where he was a member of Knights of Columbus) and supporter of St. Mary’s Schools, particularly enjoying church dinners and bake sales.
In retirement, he drove school bus for sporting events, including his grandchildren, Leah, Emily and Kaleb. He and Bonnie spent winters in their RV in Mesa, AZ where they made many friends and enjoyed rolle bolle, bocce ball, cards (which he really didn’t like to lose), and happy hour. After leaving the farm in 2021, Jim and Bonnie moved to town to the house with the green door and, after being given great care at Divine Providence Home, were blessed with wonderful caregivers at home. Special thanks to Genett, who was family to him for the last year.
Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie (in 2024); his parents, Carl and Laura; siblings, Bernice (Jim) Manderfeld, Donald Schumacher, Myron Schumacher, Phyllis Schroepfer and Marjorie Friederich; and in-laws, Denis and Mary Schmitz, Floyd and Marilyn Schmitz, Verne and Monica Schmitz, Richard Feser, Jim Manderfeld, Leo E Schroepfer, and Joyce Schmitz.
He is survived by his 10 children, who will miss his many sayings, his constant bowl of chocolate candy, his good morning song, his swerving drives home from church and his many jokes: Trude (Bob) Bartlett of Ham Lake, MN, Kevin (Vickie Olson) Schumacher of Hoffman MN, Sandra Hoffmann of St. Clair, MN, Jerry (Kim) Schumacher of Olathe, KS, Richard Schumacher of Campbell, CA, Roger (Stephanie) Schumacher of Meridian, ID, Gary Schumacher of Raymore, MO, Cheryl Borgen of Rosemount, MN, Jill (Karl) Weiss of Sleepy Eye, and Brian (Stephanie) Schumacher of Sioux Falls, SD; grandchildren, Bri (Tanner) Town, Ashley (Todd) Anderson and Tony (Rachel) Schumacher, Sarah (Evan) Hoffmann and Nicole (Chris) Zimmerman, Cole Schumacher, Kendra Schumacher and Adam (Alix) Schumacher, Jacob and Joshua Schumacher, Alec and Aiden Borgen, Leah, Emily and Kaleb Weiss, Evan and Hailey Schumacher; 5 great grandchildren; and in-laws, Donna Schumacher, Eldoris Schumacher, Gladys Feser; David and Linda Schmitz.
